[CentOS] What RH-like on a Dell XPS 15 (9590)?

Fri Jul 28 15:33:15 UTC 2017
Johnny Hughes <johnny at centos.org>

On 07/28/2017 10:26 AM, wwp wrote:
> Hello Johnny,
> 
> 
> On Fri, 28 Jul 2017 08:58:16 -0500 Johnny Hughes <johnny at centos.org> wrote:
> 
>> On 07/28/2017 07:51 AM, wwp wrote:
>>> Hello Johnny,
>>>
>>>
>>> On Fri, 28 Jul 2017 07:14:49 -0500 Johnny Hughes <johnny at centos.org> wrote:
>>>   
>>>> On 07/28/2017 07:04 AM, wwp wrote:  
>>>>> Hello Johnny,
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Fri, 28 Jul 2017 05:44:33 -0500 Johnny Hughes <johnny at centos.org> wrote:
>>>>>     
>>>>>> On 07/28/2017 05:40 AM, Johnny Hughes wrote:    
>>>>>>> On 07/27/2017 12:25 PM, wwp wrote:      
>>>>>>>> Hello there,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I've just got a Dell XPS 15 (9590) at work and need to set up a stable
>>>>>>>> GNU/Linux system on it. I thought of CentOS7, but.. obviously its
>>>>>>>> kernel can't run on this hardware.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> What would you recommend? Waiting for CentOS8 is not an option unless
>>>>>>>> it's a question of few weeks. Are there respins of the CentOS7 DVDs w/
>>>>>>>> more top-recent kernels? I'm know of Fedora 26 or course, and not
>>>>>>>> willing to switch to Ubuntu 16.10 at all.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>      
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I have an experimental 4.9.x kernel stream for x86_64.  Let me see if I
>>>>>>> can create a live-dvd that boots with that kernel and installs.      
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 4.9 kernel tree for CentOS-7 that is.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> It lives here:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://mirror.centos.org/altarch/7/experimental/x86_64/
>>>>>>
>>>>>> (currently pushing a 4.9.39 kernel there)    
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks, if I succeed in installing a C7, I'll make use of it and
>>>>> provide feedback.
>>>>>     
>>>>
>>>> hmmm .. the live ISO fails to boot .. there is not squashfs module ..
>>>> let me see if I can fix that.  
>>>
>>> Where could I get an ISO (once fixed), I only saw RPMs at the link you
>>> pasted? Or do I have to assemble myself in some way?
>>>   
>>
>> Once I get a working ISO that installs, I'll post a link.
>>
>> You would have to set up the experimental repo in /etc/yum.repos.d/ to
>> get kernel updates, and those would be RPM only.
>>
>> In fact, I have a live ISO now that installs (in KVM) .. but I still
>> need to make sure this kernel updates correctly from the experimental
>> repo.
>>
>> The kernel (and linux-firmware) rpms are unsigned, but should upgrade
>> from the experimental repo for future upgrades and those are signed.
>>
>> So, I should have something installable sometime in the next few hours
>> that you can try.
> 
> I've just succeeded in installing CentOS7 from the DVD! Had no luck
> using a Live CD (both dd'ed to a flash drive).
> 
> Hardware support is not complete (or not configured as-is):
>  - bluetooth not working
>  - HDMI ouput -> nothing
>  - dell Fn keys -> no screen light, no wifi toggle
>  - no suspend/hibernate
> 
> I will now try to inject more recent kernels (yours *) or extra firmware,
> see how I can find better hardware support and configuration. And
> compare this to what Fedora 26 provides..
> 
> (*) BTW, I installed your 4.9.39 kernel (did a yum update after
> configuring a repo file to get your stuff) and at boot, I immediately
> get:
> error: $KERNEL_NAME_HERE has invalid signature
> error: you need to load the kernel first
> 

There are actually 2 kernels, one on the live DVD I just posted, and one
in the experimental repo.

Both of those would require NO secure boot turned on, but they both
should work fine with UEFI and secure boot off.

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